The National All Progressives Congress (APC) Committee for the Ekiti Governorship primary has promised to conduct a free, fair, and credible exercise that will be acceptable to all.
The Chairman of the committee, Gov. Abubakar Badaru, gave the assurance on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting held at Adetiloye Hall, Ado-Ekiti.
Badaru urged aspirants and APC members to remain united, promising that his committee would be fair and just enough to all in the governorship primary.
“APC is one family and we wish to remain so. Most of you know the struggle we had to get APC back in Ekiti and without your support and unity, that could not have happened.
“For us to succeed in this forthcoming election, we need to remain one team.
“This committee I am leading promise you free, fair, and credible primary,” Badaru said.
The chairman admonished all aspirants to educate their supporters on good conduct that would not discredit the exercise and disunite APC.
He added that the aspirants needed to communicate to their supporters that APC is one and that whoever, emerged, the idea is to keep the power in APC.
He said,” If for any reason, one feels he or she wants to disrupt or discredit the primary process, such an individual is discrediting his or her own party.”
The committee chairman also reminded aspirants that whatever power that is gotten by unjust means will not be enjoyed by such an individual, urging them to do what is right and just.
On the right to vote, Badaru said only Nigerian and registered APC members with verified means of identification, which are INEC Voters Card and APC membership slip, would be allowed to vote.
He said that the option “A4”, where voters would queue behind the poster of their candidate or his agents, would be adopted in the conduct of the primary across all the accredited “Ward” centres in the 177 wards in the 19 Local Government Areas.
Badaru added that to ensure credible exercise, one of his committee members would be attached to two LGAs for proper monitoring that would bring about an acceptable result for all.
He disclosed that the state collation centre would be at APC Secretariat located on Ajilosun, Ado/Ikere Road, Ado-Ekiti.
Some of the aspirants, who include Sen. Dayo Adeyeye, Chief Oluwasola Afolabi, Mr Femi Bamisile and Mr Bamidele Faparusi, pleaded with the primary election committee to ensure a level playing ground for all.
In his response, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, also an aspirant, urged the committee to ensure fairness, not minding whose “ox is gored.”
One of the aspirants, Mr Kayode Ojo, gave the vote of thanks.
Other aspirants present at the event include Sen. Dayo Adeyeye, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, the immediate past Ekiti Secretary to Government, while the eighth aspirant, Mr Demola Popoola, was absent. (NAN)
